The Harwinton Public Library Annual Report     2008-09

This page was updated 9/22/2009.

Harwinton Public Library
80 Bentley Drive
Harwinton, CT  06791
(860) 485-9113

Materials | Circulation | Library Staff | Library Board | Mission Statement | Programs

The following is an abridged version of the Librarian's Report  section of the
Town of Harwinton Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2008-09.

Materials
Books are still the core of library service at the  Harwinton Public Library. Last year $24,186 from town, private, and civic organizations was spent on library materials. The Harwinton Library Friends,  Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation, and Civic Family Services  have continued to be large supporters.
Books 35,547
Periodicals 59
Audio Recordings 4,128
Videos & DVDs 1,922
Music CDs 656


Circulation
The annual circulation is the total circulation of all library materials. In-house use of materials is not measured by circulation figures.
Adult Books 17,483
Audio Recordings 3,695
Children's Books 15,743
Videos & DVDs 10,463
Internet Users 1,283


 Library Staff
The paid professional and support staff of the Harwinton Public Library is here to provide the service that meets your informational needs.

Fortunately, the staff has been supported on a weekly basis with  volunteers Kathleen Connors, Joanne Hogan, and Brandon Taylor.  The additional support of countless hours of volunteer time by the Harwinton Library Board, the Harwinton Library Friends, and the  Harwinton Garden Club,   has been welcome.  Please inquire about volunteer opportunities.  Personnel include:

 
 Library Board -- as of July 1, 2009
The Harwinton Public Library Board of Directors is the governing body of the library. Composed of nine publicly elected members, the Board determines policy and is actively involved in all phases of library operations.   
Mission Statement
The mission of the Harwinton Public Library shall be to provide for the informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the citizens of Harwinton through the provision of an organized collection of print, multimedia, and electronic resources.  This mission shall be met by the maintenance of a trained professional staff and support personnel.

Special emphasis is placed on encouraging children to develop an interest in reading and learning by offering appropriate  materials and programs and collaborating with the Region 10 school district educational programs.  In addition, the Library shall work to provide people of all ages with high-demand, high-interest resources in a variety of formats.  In summary, the library shall  actively encourage the use of its materials, seek to keep residents informed of resources available, and foster the intellectual growth , character, and cohesiveness of the community.

 Programs
The Library provided 284 programs attended by 3,133 participants.  . Programs help to develop the library "habit" in children and adults.  Ongoing use of the collection and facility helps to create a literate community in keeping with the mission statement.    

Support for programming is provided by the AARP,  the Harwinton Library Friends, Civic Family Services, and you, the individuals who donate your time, talent and resources to the library.  Any paid individuals were provided through private funds.

New Additions
The largest changes are happening in our technology.  We have wireless internet services available for our patrons.  This year we changed downloadable audio book providers.  This service allows Harwinton residents to download audio books to a MP3 player.  This new technology is popular with our many commuters and other tech savvy residents. 

Also on our Reference page is PrepMe, a self-directed course which helps our college bound students study for the SAT's.  Offering over 60 hours of practice quizzes and tests, this course is customized  to your needs and is offered free to Harwinton residents.  Jobs Now provides critiques of resumes and helps with practice interview questions for those looking for jobs.  InfoAnytime is a real time web based reference service provided by professional  librarians 24/7. 

Please visit our homepage at www.harwintonpl.org.  It continually updates our programs and service, provides instruction on interlibrary loan and connection with iCONN.org, the statewide databse.  iCONN, a core level of information resources which  includes secured access to licensed databases, is available to every citizen in Connecticut.

Museum passes are available for the eighth year in a row.  Supported by the Harwinton Library Friends, they have gained in popularity, and allow free  or reduced entry to various local attractions.  These attractions change each year according to usage.

The Harwinton Garden Club has made  the stroll to our front door more inviting.  A special thanks to those who have worked so hard weeding and planting!  This year, with the help of the Thomaston Savings Bank, they have placed a bench in the garden.

The patrons that use our activity room many notice the new lighter weight tables that have replaced the insurance company discards  from twenty years ago.  And I hope all of you have noticed the various displays in our new display case. 

As we reach out to the world of new technology and resources, we take pride in being able to offer small town friendliness and service.  You are the "public" in public library, and we encourage your comments and suggestions, your expectations and opinions.  Our thanks go to all of you who have made the Harwinton Public Library an exciting and vibrant part of the community!

Respectfully submitted,

Stasia Motuzick, M.L.S.
Library Director

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                             

 

 

 

   
  
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